Key facts
- Nigel Farage stated Reform UK's second-place finish in the Makerfield by-election was disappointing.
- Farage attributed the loss to voters prioritizing the removal of Sir Keir Starmer from Downing Street.
- Andy Burnham won the Makerfield seat for Labour with an increased majority.
- Reform UK's candidate Rob Kenyon finished significantly behind Burnham.
- Reform UK is examining whether sexist comments made by its candidate, Rob Kenyon, may have harmed the party's chances.
- Restore Britain, a rival party, secured third place with approximately 7% of the vote.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, expressed disappointment following his party's second-place finish in the Makerfield by-election, attributing the loss to voters prioritizing the removal of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Andy Burnham secured an emphatic victory for Labour, increasing the party's majority in the safe seat.
Farage stated that his party's candidate, Rob Kenyon, finished more than 9,000 votes behind Burnham. He also conceded that Reform UK lost votes to a right-wing rival, Restore Britain, a party founded by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe, which achieved a breakthrough by finishing third with approximately 7% of the vote.
Reform UK had sought to defeat Burnham in Makerfield to bolster its credentials as the main opposition party to Labour. However, Burnham, the outgoing mayor of Greater Manchester, increased Labour's majority. Farage suggested that voters were motivated by a desire to "get Starmer out," comparing Burnham's popularity to that of Boris Johnson as London mayor.
Reform UK is now examining whether sexist comments made by its candidate, Rob Kenyon, during the campaign may have harmed the party's chances. Canvassers reported that voters, particularly women, were put off by the lewd social media posts. Kenyon did not apologize for the comments, attempting to frame them as indicative of his ordinary persona.
Farage also expressed frustration with Restore Britain, which he described as a competitor on Reform UK's right flank. The party's performance in Makerfield, where it secured 7% of the vote, was seen as a disappointment given the seat's demographic suitability for Reform. The party's candidate, Rob Kenyon, increased his and Reform's share of the vote from the 2024 general election, but this was not enough to challenge Labour's dominance.
Farage's reduced public appearances have coincided with news of a £5 million gift he received before the general election, a topic some Makerfield voters mentioned as a reason for reconsidering their vote for Reform.